BALLACK: CHELSEA CAN WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Michael Ballack says Chelsea are capable of winning this
season’s Champions League after their 5-0 thrashing of
Schalke in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday night.
The Blues destroyed the Bundesliga outfit at the Veltins-
Arena to not only confirm their safe passage through to the
last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition, but they also
won Group G with a game still to be played in the section.
And after such an eye-catching display by Chelsea, the
one-time Germany international stated that Jose
Mourinho’s men are more than capable to winning their
second Champions League title in Berlin in June.
“I cannot yet see any weak links, they are really solid and
if you judge them after the game today, they can win it,”
said Ballack.
“And if you judge them after the whole season, then they
can win it too! But it was not the right opponent today,
and they know it too, and Mourinho is too experienced to
get too euphoric.”
However, Ballack was also quick to emphasise that there
are far tougher tests awaiting Chelsea in the knockout
rounds.
Jose Mourinho said his side produced a very mature
display in their superb 5-0 win away against Schalke.
“They will come stronger teams to beat like Bayern
Munich and Real Madrid,” added Ballack. “But they are
one of these teams that can win it for sure.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea back-up goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer
said that Mourinho would not even be discussing with his
players the possibility of winning this season's Champions
League for the very first time as manager of the club.
“It is not something that we actually talk about, if anything
the manager is actually on the other side by saying: ‘We
just need to keep going and take each game as it comes. Do
not think about winning every single game, take each game
as it comes,’” said Schwarzer.
“Now this was a massive game for the club, it was a game
that we desperately wanted to win to top the group, so it is
mission accomplished as far as the Champions League is
concerned.
“And now all the sights and preparations are focused on
Saturday’s game away at Sunderland, which is going to be
a very tough game. You know, you really cannot look
beyond the next game,” added the Australian shot-stopper.
After Chelsea's 5-0 win over Schalke, John Terry said
this might be the strongest Chelsea side he's been a part of.
And one-time Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle was also
quick to praise the west Londoners’ five-star performance,
saying: “It could have been eight, nine, or 10 tonight as they
kept getting in between Schalke all the time.